


Short and Sweet

by soyforramen



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Bughead Drabble Challenge, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Drabble Collection, F/M, based on raptorlily's prompt weeks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:46:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 3,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23584054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soyforramen/pseuds/soyforramen
Summary: A collection of Bughead drabbles based on Raptorlily's prompt lists.
Relationships: Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Comments: 16
Kudos: 22





	1. Attracted To Your Lips

Dr. Beaker’s lecture might have been white noise. Because after last night all Jughead could think about was Betty Cooper’s lips.

How telling they were. A quick lift at a joke. Pursed lips over a minor injustice. A frown of concentration. 

The small ‘o’ of surprise when he’d kissed her yesterday. 

He glanced over and found her studiously jotting down notes, bottom lip trapped between her teeth. She caught him staring and her lips settled into a shy, promising smile. 

A new smile, one that brought with it a thrill of anticipation, and he returned her smile with his own.


	2. Slightly Tipsy (Werewolf AU)

Betty had never seen Jughead like this before, tipsy and happy and carefree. It was strange to see him like this. At school he was dark and guarded, even with her unless they were alone. But here among the rest of the werewolves he had his place in the world.

Jughead sat down on the step next to her and nuzzled into her neck. The warmth of his body was a furnace against the cool night air and she looped her arms around him.

“You smell like cookies,” he mumbled.

She bit against a laugh. “And you smell like vodka.”


	3. Oops! (High School AU)

Betty Cooper was a known go-getter. She knew what she wanted out of life and never had she hesitated to get it. Until now.

“Introduce yourself or I will,” Kevin hissed with a jab.

With a deep breath Betty threw herself into the path of Jughead Jones, the new Southside student, intending to get his attention. Her timing was off, though, and they both crashed into the lockers. His arms wrapped around her waist as they struggled to find their balance.

“I’m Betty Cooper,” she blurted out as they untangled from each other.

“I know,” he replied with a grin.


	4. Tickle

Fast asleep, Jughead reached up and brushed his nose. Betty sat back and waited for him to wake.

When they couldn’t conceive it had been a relief for her. No more worrying if she’d pass down the issues that plagued the Coopers. 

But for Jughead, it was devastating. He’d always wanted kids, despite his own familial issues.

Maybe this could make up for some of it.

Jughead’s eyes opened and he scratched his face. This time the puppy whimpered next to him, desperate for attention.

“I thought this could be good practice,” she explained, “while we’re waiting for foster approval.”


	5. Unhappy Marriage (Victorian AU)

Theirs was an unhappy marriage, childhood friends bound in a match meant to ensure title and income, not love. 

Elizabeth did try to love him, at first, and Archibald had done the same. But it wasn’t long before his eye, and heart, wandered towards the Comtesse Mantel, nee Lodge.

Though her pride was wounded Elizabeth refused to be ashamed of his affair; he might stray but she was content with her duties as a wife and mother.

That belief was shattered, though, with the arrival of the Russian Court and a pair of stormy eyes that rivaled any Siberian winter.


	6. Don't Make Me Laugh (Horror AU)

“Don’t make me laugh,” Alice scoffs. “You? And Jughead? Like you’d last a minute on your own.”

“Please, Mom. We’re taking the twins. Come with us.”

It’s as if her mother refuses to see how serious this is. Whatever this thing is that’s taken over the town, they have to get away. Now.

Alice drains her wine glass and throws it against the wall. Anger and fear cloud her eyes and she slides to the floor with a sob. She lifts her shirt and Betty gasps. The dark, vine-like marks cover her stomach.

“I can’t leave. Take them and go.”


	7. Dare You To Move (Noir AU)

“But -”

Archie shakes his head and sits on the edge of the desk. “She didn’t have anything to do with it. Alibi’s solid.”

“Then who stole the Maple Falcon? Everything points to her,” Jughead sputters. It’s the first time he’s been wrong since getting into the PI business; but it’s not the first time B. Cooper’s slipped out of a charge. 

“I might have heard something… it’ll cost you though” Betty says, stringing her words out. 

Jughead narrows his eyes. He knows what she wants. This cat and mouse game has come to an end.

Betty grins. “Your move, Jones.”


	8. Broken Down Car

Jughead knew first hand how treacherous a love for a parent could be. But watching Betty fall apart after her father died in jail hurt him even more. No longer did she tinker around in the garage on the weekends, and the house was eerily quiet in the mornings with “Car Talk” playing in the background.

So he took a gamble. For the first time, he couldn’t predict how she’d respond. 

As he opened the garage door, he watched Betty appraise the GTO junker.

“You keep saying I should learn. Maybe this could be our thing now,” he said falteringly.


	9. Cover Thief (College AU)

“I can’t believe you got sick before Spring Break,” Veronica huffed as she typed furiously on her blackberry. “This cruise isn’t refundable, you know..”

Jughead sunk further down into the blanket to ward off the chill. 

“It’s not his fault,” Betty said sympathetically. She handed him a mug of chicken soup and tucked herself into the seat next to Veronica. 

Veronica gave her a baleful look. “If it’s not his fault, then whose is it so I can send them the bill.”

“Betty’s,” Jughead’s groggy voice came. “If she wasn’t such a cover thief -”

“Betty’s?” Veronica shrieked. “You’re sleeping together?”


	10. Midnight At The Swimming Hole (AU)

Local legends whispered about what lived in the Quarry. Once a major manufacturing hub that employed most of the county, now it lay under fifty feet of murky water that toyed with the imagination. Now it was the local swimming hole where teenagers went to skinny dip during the summers or, more sensationally, where a body was pulled out every few years once the ice melted.

But there were others stories, ones that were passed around campfires and posted on internet forums. Stories about flashing scales and otherworldly voices that could drag men to their deaths. Tales of creatures that weren’t quite human.

It was a siren call to his overly curious mind.

He’d been here for almost an hour watching the wisps of fog dance along the waters and had yet to see any movement. And yet he refused to leave in defeat; he’d finally convinced his editor to let him write about the oddities that surrounded Riverdale. Small creatures, strange happenings, and the like. For years now he’d suspected the epicenter was Greendale, but without the backing of the newspaper he’d had little success in discovering more.

The still water broke a few feet away and Jughead readied his camera. His shoulders tensed to keep the frame still despite his racing heat. The shutter flickered as the moonlight silhouetted a form slowly rising out of the water, a cameo of a young woman against the grey-green waters. 

“Here for the Sweetwater Sirens?” Betty’s familiar voice asked, her voice husky against the September chill. “Or just here to enjoy a midnight swim?”

Jughead’s heart began to race for an entirely different reason. She’d known he’d be out here alone; she’d been the one to approve this article. Carefully he packed up his camera to grasp for a few extra moments to sort through her sudden appearance.

Betty swam closer and leaned against the rock he’d staked out. This close it was apparent her shoulders were bare against the September air. 

“Actually,” he started. He cleared his throat and turned to face her. “I’m wondering what my editor’s doing out here swimming in forty degree weather.”

Her peal of laughter tugged on his heart stronger than any siren’s call ever could.

“The water’s fine, Jones,” she teased. 

Ripples spread around her as she pushed away from the rock. She turned and he saw that she wasn’t wearing a top.

His pulse pounded and he wondered if this was some strange test, either Betty’s doing or if the stories were true about the Siren being able to take on different forms.

“Well? Are you coming?” Betty called out. Her voice echoed around them, giving her voice another layer of promise.

“Ms. Cooper,” Jughead called out as he tugged his boots off. “Are you trying to seduce me?”


	11. An Unconventional Way of Saying I Love You (Comics AU)

Her tears fell as Betty stirred her melted milkshake. Another night of being stood up by Archie. 

She was smarter than this. At least, she thought she was.

Jughead slid in the booth across from her and Betty bit her lip. All she wanted to do was drown in misery, but he’d try to make her feel better, but his dry wit never came. Instead, two orders of loaded cheese fries appeared.

She nibbled on one, then another, and eventually both plates were gone.

Not a word was said and Betty felt better than she had in a long time.


	12. Karaoke Machine (Future AU)

“I’m going to kill him,” Jughead said through gritted teeth.

A wailing note from inside the house made Betty wince. Singing professionally was definitely not in their daughter's future, no matter what Archie told her.

As usual, Archie had only the best intentions. While the karaoke was the biggest hit at Harper’s birthday party, it was the singing that had chased the adults out of the house and onto the lawn. 

“How long do those batteries last again?”

Betty handed him her mug of Alkaseltzer. “Don’t worry. Monica’s birthday is next week and she’s been begging for a drum set.”


	13. A Spell (Magic AU)

Forsythe was the best in the kingdom for a reason. While others fell prey to the false promise of magic he had never succumbed. It was a point of pride the King turned to him and him alone.

He’d seen their false promises, lies spun out of shadows and dried poisons. They were wild, insane with belief that their words had power.

This place promised none of that. The cottage was clean and flooded with light. Dried herbs were hung neatly as she moved through the room.

When their eyes met, Forsythe knew he’d been captured under a different spell.


	14. Ice Cream Flavor

Archie’s laugh rang through the diner. Predictably, a chocolate milkshake sat between him and Veronica.

No one liked vanilla, after all. It was bland. Mundane. Predictable. 

Even she didn’t go for vanilla.

And yet, that’s what everyone assumed about her. Just like vanilla she was dependable. Unchanging. Boring.

Jughead slid into the booth across from her, bringing along a thrill of something she still wasn’t sure of as he stole her untouched strawberry milkshake.

“What’s your favorite ice cream?”

“Vanilla,” he said without looking up from his laptop.

A flush ran through her that not even the milkshake could cool.


	15. Under The Bed (College AU)

“Why are we under the bed?” Betty whispered. 

Veronica put a finger to her lips. The dorm room door closed and she wiggled out from under the bunk bed. 

“Archie’s up to something and I have to know what to wear when he proposes.”

Before Betty could stand, Veronica pulled open a dresser drawer and let out a squeal of delight. In her hands lay a silver circle topped by a sapphire, the ring Betty always dreamed of. 

“How cute! It’s not Tiffany’s, but-”

They both jumped when Archie came into the room. 

“Why are you going through Jughead’s dresser?”


	16. A Paper In Your Pocket (Pre-Canon)

“What do we have here?” Reggie asked. 

Jughead patted his pockets and, finding them empty, lunged towards Reggie. The attempt failed and Reggie cleared his throat dramatically.

“Dear Bet -”

The paper was ripped out of Reggie’s hand by Betty herself and Jughead realized he’d never been so embarrassed.

“Does Weatherbee know you’re a bully?” she snapped. 

Reggie rolled his eyes and walked away. 

When Betty handed him his paper, Jughead wanted to tell her to keep it. But then, Archie walked by on the way to class and Betty was gone again.  
Jughead knew this Valentine’s day thing was stupid.


	17. Something Sweet

Betty shrieked and ran to the other side of the classroom. Jughead, covered in flour, brandished a spatula covered in icing close behind.

As the two with the lowest grades in Home Ec - who graded meatloaf on a curve? - they’d been given the option of a makeup class after school. Despite their cake coming out nearly perfect, Betty doubted the mess they’d make would do anything more than fail them. For the first time, she was having too much fun to care.

“Nowhere to hide, Cooper,” Jughead said. He waved the spatula at her, but it was anything but threatening with the streak of blue icing across his cheek.

Willing to accept her fate, Betty lifted her chin and took a quick step towards him. She stole a kiss from his frosted cheek and slipped around him.

Jughead stood frozen in shock. It was the first time they’d shown any physical interest in the other and Betty was tired of waiting for him to make the first move.

Now composed, Jughead spun to chase her and Betty laughed. 

“You’re not getting away that easily,” he said as she slipped by him again.

Little did he know how right he was.


	18. Accidental Intrusion

Recently single, Archie needed a refuge that only his best friends could give.

When he’d asked about Valentine’s plans, Jughead mentioned he and Betty were looking forward to watching the B-Flick marathon on TV.

Now, loaded up with milkshakes and burgers, Archie made his way up the steps of the trailer and opened the door.

“Hey guys, I brought food -”

Betty shrieked and dove behind the couch while Jughead yelled at him to get out.

Everything fell to the floor as Archie ran out the door, the image of his best friends half-dressed and tangled together burned into his nightmares.


	19. Midnight at Pop's; Temptation

The fae creature had come up from the river to make her offer. 

He’d yet to accept.

There were considerations, of course. The loss of humanity. Family. Everything that made life worth living.

But all of those were so easily forgotten when those hypnotic moss green eyes promised years of something besides the stoic solitude he’d found himself in.

The temptation was overwhelming.

\--

It was midnight at Pop’s, his brackish coffee long since cold.

Even the false neon light of the diner couldn’t hide her otherworldliness. He wondered why no one else seemed to notice this strange woman. 

Perhaps this vision of a woman was meant only for him. The woman with large eyes and dewy hair. Or perhaps his long nights and even longer days were finally catching up to him.

Or, more logically, this was just some prank put upon him by the same men who bullied him in high school. Only she was just too fantastical for their narrow imaginations.

She asked if he’d considered her offer. 

He said he had and offered to buy her a milkshake.

She asked what a milkshake was.

\--

Her innate curiosity was fascinating and he felt her web tightening further around him with every question.

\--

When he lay in bed that night, her voice whorled in his head. As he drifted to sleep he realized he didn’t even know her name.

\--

Do I need one?

He woke, her voice still lapping at his ear. 

Next to him, the bed was damp.

\--

She was waiting for him at Pop’s, two cups of coffee on the table. He tried to walk away, to sit anywhere else, but he found himself sitting at the table. The questions he wanted to ask evaporated when she smiled.

Have you decided?

Not yet.

You can call me Betty, if it helps.

\--

At night his dreams were currents of strange images, refractions of a life not his own. A lifetime of loneliness. An eternity spent in watery depths only to rise every few centuries. 

Her request floated again across his mind when he woke. 

By my side came her siren call.

\--

I’m not a gentleman, he admitted that night.

I want you for mine, she told him. I will treat you well.

He nodded, believing her. She’d shown him as much in his dreams. 

Do you want to die?

Yes, he said.

Forever together.


	20. Missed Opportunity (Werewolf AU)

Betty cursed when the wolf left the clearing. The plan was perfect, only the were refused to cooperate. A goat should have been enough to send it into a frenzy, not back to the forest.

This one was still too human.

Hot breath on her neck made her heart stop. She’d failed if it had made it this far; she refused to go down without a fight.

She rolled, knife in hand, only to find open air above her. A few feet away the were watched. Blue eyes met gold, and Betty knew this was one kill she couldn’t make.


	21. A Craving (Werewolf AU Pt2)

Ever since he’d failed to kill her, he’d taken to tracking her whenever she entered the forest. 

It was practically suicide. They were blood rivals, born and bred to kill the other. Yet her scent haunted his every moment.

She knew he’d been following her. He wasn’t discreet. He didn’t want to be.

When she entered the forest unarmed her scent enveloped him. It was heavenly.

She didn’t flinch when he turned human, nor when he stepped towards her. Huntress though she was, there was curiosity in her eyes.

“Jughead,” she said.

Apparently she’d done some tracking of her own.


	22. Truth Or Dare (Werewolf AU Pt3)

He shouldn’t be here. Neither should she. They’ll be killed if they’re found.

“Truth.”

She bites her lip and waits for his question. He’s drawn to the brilliant white of her teeth, unsullied by blood.

“Do you love me?”

“Unbearably.”

The world’s on fire between them and the rush of the chase comes on quickly. But she’s mortal, delicate, breakable. 

Her cheeks flush, and he knows she feels it too.

“Truth or dare,” she asks.

“Dare.”

The anticipation of what she wants floods him with desire.

“Turn me.”

The lust of the hunt overtakes him and he fulfills their desire.


	23. Something Stupid

It was stupid. He’d known that from the minute he’d walked into the ballroom and saw her, idling next to the open bar, her eyes on everyone. Every instinct told him to run, but far too much planning had gone into casing this joint to back out now.

With an air of nonchalance, Jughead meandered through the crowd. He nodded to the few who caught his eye for appearances. If there was even a hint that he didn’t belong here… well suffice it to say even the sharks would be impressed at how quickly his blood was spilled.

He’d made it a few hundred yards before the detective spotted him. A brief flick of her eyebrow was the only hint of recognition. Jughead pushed down a smile. 

He ordered a drink and sidled up close to her, near enough for conversation and far enough that she couldn’t pull that handcuff trick that had almost gotten him caught in Prague.

Veronica still brought up that particular botched night five years later. 

“Dirty pool there, Ms. Cooper,” he said in a posh British accent, one perfected in front of late night nature documentaries. He was, after all, supposed to be Mr. Nick St. Clair, someone Veronica had unfortunately known in her younger days and thus had no qualms about having Jughead pretend to be him. “I’d have expected at least a modicum of professional courtesy after the last time we saw each other.”

The detective’s eyes glanced at him a moment, but her gaze was drawn back to the crowd. Her eyes searched among the faces, discarding each in turn when they didn’t hold what she was looking for.

“And I’d have expected you would have learned your lesson, Forsythe Jones. Or is it still P.J. Gibbons?”

“Mr. St. Clair will do nicely,” he murmured. 

He followed her eye line to the Blossom heiress. The Maple Diamond shone brilliantly around her neck, catching every movement of light and reflecting it ten fold. For any common thief that would have been the highlight of the night, a grand coup and fuck you to the well-paid, well-practiced security that watched their every move.

“Well, Mr. St. Clair, may I ask what brings you here tonight?” Detective Cooper asked. She raised her glass and murmured, “Not the diamond, I hope.”

Jughead’s eyes flicked up towards the balcony where the real prize lay. It was an instinctive and amateur move. Thankfully, the detective was far more focused on something other than him to notice his folly.

“Excuse me,” she said, handing him her glass. 

Detective Cooper slipped into the crowd and Jughead took that as his cue to make his way upstairs before the commotion began. A cacophony from the dance floor drew the attention of the security guards and as one they failed to notice him making his way upstairs. Without prying eyes, it was easy to find the room solely reserved for Hiram Lodge. Behind a potted plant lay the briefcase Veronica had promised, placed there by an easily bribed valet. As Jughead slipped the pick into the lock, he thanked the idiot downstairs who’d gone after the easy pickings.

Hiram Lodge and his buyer, an older woman dressed all in black down to her eyepatch, were entranced by the brawl down below. Keeping to the shadows, it was easy enough to pick up the briefcase and replace it with the false one. The job was easier than they’d been promised, and not for the first time Jughead wondered if it was a set up. 

But no one stopped him as he padded down the stairs and beneath Hiram Lodge’s balcony. All attention was locked onto the heiress spitting fire at every hired goon for their idiotic failures to keep a common thief away from the priceless jewels. Even from this distance, Jughead could see how Detective Cooper’s eyes flashed emerald green, jewels far more precious than any that hung around another’s neck.

At least, until they landed upon him. They flared with anger - not against him, but against the amateur thief that lay handcuffed at her feet - and then pride. It should have been a warning, but Jughead couldn’t help but feel a thrill that her mind had immediately gone to his own skill set. He nodded his congratulations and slipped out of the party before Detective Cooper could set her insatiable curiosity on his own pursuits. 

But if she did deem him worthy of pursuit, he certainly wouldn’t try to escape her for long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've absolutely no idea where I was going with this one, alas.


End file.
